being real
Cascade of Interventions
{For a larger diagram go here. I couldn’t quite figure out how to make it bigger}
Induction of labor has been shown to increase the risk of uterine rupture for women with a prior cesarean scar.
The leader of my ICAN chapter posted this on facebook a few days ago. I think it is amazing how one intervention {namely induction} can result in several others. How many times have you heard, “they gave me pitocin, and my contractions got strong so fast that I had to have an epidural ” {and so forth}? I have to say that I haven’t met very many women who weren’t induced or given any type augmentation to speed up or start their labor. Many ended up needing even more interventions because of it. While induction is necessary in some situations, it seems to be the norm for any mom giving birth in the hospital whether they really need it or not.
Induction of Labor
(from the ICAN website)
The International Cesarean Awareness Network strongly advises women and health care practitioners to avoid induction of labor unless a true medical indication exists. Induction of labor frequently leads to further intervention in birth including the need for fetal monitoring, epidural anesthesia, instrumental delivery and cesarean section. Each of these interventions increases risks to babies and mothers.
First time mothers are especially vulnerable: Induction itself doubles a first-time mother’s risk of having a cesarean section.
A cesarean puts a woman’s entire reproductive life, including subsequent pregnancies, at higher risk.
For all women, induction of labor increases the use of forceps and vacuum extraction as well as rates of shoulder dystocia.
Women with a prior cesarean who are induced have a 33-75% risk of having another cesarean.
Induction of labor has been shown to increase the risk of uterine rupture for women with a prior cesarean scar.
Babies whose births are induced more often experience resuscitation, admission to the intensive care unit, and phototherapy to treat jaundice, which generally require separation from the mother.
*This is why it scares me to hear women going in to be induced in situations where it is not medically necessary.
At Your Cervix {a L&D Nurse} recently blogged on intervention refusal here. She also included situations that would warrant an induction.
Wow! My induction led me right down the path that the very right side of the diagram shows, all the way to formula feeding.
Bridget-
It's sad, but good to make that connection. I definitely went down the c/s side and luckily didn't have too much trouble with bf although we were seperated for a long period of time and they gave one of my girls a several bottles of formula. Eek!
Thank so much for posting this…It is sooo true I have heard it so many times. (hearing GF birth stories) I have a friend who has already scheduled her 2nd c/s!!!!! NO NO NO! But many of us are under the guise of Dr knows best….Don't get me wrong without Drs I personally wouldn't be here (born at 25 weeks) but some drs make pregnancy and birth out to be a major medical thing when a majority of the time it isn't at all. KWIM?
Annie-
It's hard seeing this, and not feeling like it's your place to do anything about it. It is their decision as the mother, but you wonder if they really know all the risks etc. Some women get so excited because their dr. will go ahead and induce them early just because they aren't comfortable etc….there's so much more to it!